NEW HAVEN -- Hospitalizations and deaths from stroke and heart disease dropped significantly in the past decade -- more so than for any other condition.

That's according to a new study from the Yale School of Medicine, which examined data on more than 34 million fee-for-service Medicare patients 65 and older. Researchers found that, between 1999 and 2011, the rate of hospitalization for heart attack dropped by 38 percent and the rate of hospitalization for ischemic stroke fell 33.6 percent.

The risk of dying within a year of being hospitalized for a heart attack fell 23 percent, and the risk of death from stroke a year after hospitalization fell 13 percent.

The study's lead author, Dr. Harlan Krumholz, said, given such factors as increased public awareness of heart attack and stroke risks and better hospital care, it's not surprising that outcomes of these illness are improving.

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At a glanceHere are a few key facts about a Yale University School of Medicine study showing that hospitalizations and deaths from heart attack and stroke are on the decline.Study examined data on more than 34 million Medicare patients 65 and older.Between 1999 and 2011, the rate of hospitalization for heart attack dropped by 38 percent.During that time, rate of hospitalization for unstable angina fell 83.8 percent; hospitalization for heart failure fell 30.5 percent and ischemic stroke hospitalization fell by 33.6 percent.The research also showed that the risk of dying within a year of being hospitalized for unstable angina dropped 21 percent and the risk of dying from a heart attack fell 23 percent. The risk of death from both heart failure and stroke declined by 13 percent.

Dr. Steve Horowitz, interim chief of cardiology at Stamford Hospital, said the death rate from heart disease has been declining for the past 30 years, but the Yale study provides a comprehensive look with a number of variables.

"It's an important paper, because it does indeed suggest that incidents and severity of heart disease has continued its decline, and we can measure that through the eyes of Medicare admissions," Horowitz said.

While the paper doesn't point to a specific reason for the decline, Horowitz said it's likely a combination of a variety of factors, including better medical care and prescriptions and lifestyle changes.

"There are probably many things that go into the improvement," he said. "The major pieces are lifestyle changes and taking their medicine as prescribed. And in terms of lifestyle change, one of the largest factors is smoking cessation, followed by physical activity and diet."

It could also be that new diagnostic tools are redefining when patients come in from cardiovascular issues, he said. These days, tools are more sensitive, meaning that people with faint symptoms that couldn't be picked up through old diagnostic tools are now picked up and can be categorized properly. With this, a wider pool of less-severe cases are noted, which could drop the overall percentage of cases that lead to hospitalization and mortality, Horowitz said.

In addition to the falling rates for heart attack and stroke hospitalization, Yale researchers also found that hospitalizations for unstable angina -- a sudden chest discomfort that can lead to heart attack -- fell by 83.8 percent and the rate of hospitalizations for heart failure dropped by 30.5 percent. One-year survival rates from these illnesses also improved, by 21 percent for unstable angina and 13 percent for heart failure.

Krumholz said researchers looked at hospitalization and death rates for a variety of other illnesses, including pneumonia, kidney injuries and urinary tract infections. They found that rates for all these conditions either stayed flat or improved slightly during the decade studied. Heart disease and stroke were the only ones to show significant improvement.

That's likely because so many changes have been made in treatment of these illnesses over the past decade, Krumholz said.

For instance, he said, heart attack patients are more likely to be treated within 90 minutes of arriving at the hospital -- which improves survival rates -- than they were 10 years ago.

Also, the general public is more aware of how lifestyle choices, such as eating properly and exercising regularly, can help lower the risk of heart disease and stroke. Krumholz also cited improvements in identifying and treating high blood pressure -- a risk factor in many illnesses -- and a decline in smoking for the drop in hospitalizations and deaths.

"We still have progress to make, but it sure feels good" to have come this far," Krumholz said.